WASHINGTON, Sept 24: US President Donald Trump has said Ukraine can reclaim all its territory from Russia, a major shift from his earlier stance that Kyiv might need to cede land for peace, the BBC reported.
In a Truth Social post after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, Trump said Ukraine could restore its “original borders” with support from Europe and NATO, citing Russia’s worsening economy. He added Ukraine could go “even further,” though he gave no details and avoided mention of Crimea, the BBC stated.
Trump said his view changed after “fully understanding” the military and economic dynamics of the war. He described Russia as a “paper tiger” and urged Ukraine to act while Moscow faced “big economic trouble,” according to the BBC.
Zelenskiy vows no let up as allies see risk in Russia's Ukraine...
Zelensky welcomed what he called a “big shift” in Trump’s stance. Speaking to reporters at the UN, he said the US was prepared to offer Kyiv security guarantees after the war, though specifics were unclear. He mentioned possible deliveries of weapons, drones and air defence systems. Later, on Fox News, Zelensky said Trump’s comments were a positive signal that Washington would support Ukraine until the war ends, the BBC noted.
Trump also urged NATO states to shoot down Russian planes violating allied airspace. This came after Estonia, Poland, and Romania reported Russian airspace breaches. NATO condemned Moscow’s actions as “escalatory” and vowed to use all tools to defend members. NATO chief Mark Rutte said the alliance was prepared for provocations, while Poland’s president said Warsaw would react firmly and would not be intimidated by Russian drones, the BBC reported.
Moscow denied violating Estonian airspace, said the Polish incident was accidental, and gave no comment on Romania, according to the BBC.
Asked if Washington would support NATO if Russian aircraft were shot down, Trump said it “depends on the circumstance” but praised NATO members for raising defence spending and highlighted the 5% GDP target by 2035. He also criticized European nations for continuing to buy Russian energy, accusing them of financing Moscow’s war, the BBC reported.
Trump’s remarks mark a reversal from his February meeting with Zelensky, when he reportedly told him Ukraine lacked the cards to win a war of attrition. In August, Trump had hinted at a possible land-swap deal involving Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for a frozen front line, echoing a proposal by Putin at their Alaska summit, the BBC stated.
Analysts quoted by the BBC said Trump’s latest comments may be an attempt to revive stalled peace talks while signaling continued US arms sales to NATO allies, which could be passed on to Ukraine. This is a more open commitment than he showed earlier this year, though still less than the Biden administration’s pledge of unlimited support.
